1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mailboxes and in particular to the interior lighting of mailboxes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although mail is generally delivered during daylight hours, it is often collected from the mailbox by the recipient during the evening hours when there is little or no ambient light. Even when it is clear that there is mail in the box, under low light conditions visual inspection does not easily reveal whether some of the mail has slid to the rear of the box, out of immediate reach. Typically, a person must then reach in and feel by hand for the presence of additional parcels or envelopes. In addition to the inconvenience and uncertainty associated with feeling by hand for the mail, many people, indeed, have a fear of sticking their hands into unlit places.
Though there have been previous attempts to supply light to the inside of a mailbox, all have problems with ease of installation, ease of service, and/or other limitations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,393 requires power from inside the home. U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,012 requires the threading of wire through the box itself, will only work in conjunction with metal mailboxes, and requires the user to push a button in order to activate the light.